


OBX: In Plain Sight

by AllYouWillEverRead03



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24499186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllYouWillEverRead03/pseuds/AllYouWillEverRead03
Summary: Before anyone could question where he was running off to, he slipped beyond the tree line that surrounded the beach. Perching himself behind a thicker layer of palms to avoid anyone’s sight line, he waited for the inevitable and after a moment he heard delicate rustling behind him. What was the saying? Good things come to those who wait? Yeah, this was going to anything but good.OrAn Outer Banks AU where Sarah and John B. have been secretly dating for roughly the past 9 months. Hiding the relationship for the sake of everyone else takes its toll on both of them and something has to give eventually.
Relationships: Sarah Cameron/John B. Routledge
Comments: 11
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I just finished watching OBX and it’s safe to say I’m obsessed to the max! I thought of this AU idea after the first episode when John B. is obsessing over Sarah at the boneyard, so I thought I’d share the first chapter to see if anyone enjoyed it or not! Let me know what you guys think and if there’s anything you’d like to see out of this! Or if you even think it’s worth continuing!

** Chapter 1: The Boneyard **

The boneyard was alive with all three layers of the OBX getting along surprisingly well. The Pogues and the Kooks were all circling their  _ chum  _ like opportunistic sharks, the kegs were getting lighter by the minute, and John B. was peacefully chatting up a sun kissed, blonde, Touron. Summer was starting off on the right foot, that was until the Kook royalty showed up.

“What is she doing here?” Kie glared over John B’s shoulder at the Kook princess herself, Sarah Cameron.

She sat atop an old, rusted, red buoy. Her baby blue dress rustled elegantly with her damp blonde hair. Everything about her was soft, gentle, perfection. Well, everything except the scowl she was shooting John B.

“Hey. Uh. I-I have to run, over there,” John B. stammered out to the girl he had been flirting with for the last hour, “but it was great meeting you.”

Before anyone could question where he was running off to, he slipped beyond the tree line that surrounded the beach. Perching himself behind a thicker layer of palms to avoid anyone’s sight line, he waited for the inevitable and after a moment he heard delicate rustling behind him. What was the saying?  _ Good things come to those who wait?  _ Yeah, this was going to anything but good.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Sarah’s emphatic use of  _ fuck  _ could’ve blown their cover, if the party wasn’t going as well as it was.

John B. sighed, downing his beer to help lighten the blow of their impending fight, “We were just talking, it’s not a big deal.”

She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes at his typical excuse, “Yeah, okay John B. I’m not blind.”

“I have to make it look believable Sarah.” His own annoyance was evident in his response, “Why’s it matter? You brought Topper?”

“Don’t make this a Topper thing, seriously”

Topper, being Sarah’s new Kook boyfriend, came from one of the most prestigious families on the island. He was who she was expected to date because they looked good together. At public events they walked in behind their respective parents and everyone marveled at the next generation of success. But, just like the two before him, that’s all he was, even if he believed he was more.

John B and Sarah had been dating in secret for almost a year. He started working on her father’s boat about 9 months prior when his dad disappeared at sea. One particular night he had been prepping the  _ My Druthers  _ for one of Ward’s fishing trips, when Sarah drunkenly stumbled onto the boat. 

The pair sat up talking the entire night and for the next month they were inseparable. The issues didn’t arise until their respective friends began to buttheads. They each had a role to play in society in the eyes of everyone else, so they cut things off, to everyone else that is.

“They haven’t seen me with another girl in months, they’re going to get suspicious.” He said.

“That’s convenient.” She replied dismissively.

“You know what else is convenient Sarah?” He stood, closing the gap between the two of them, “Every time you know I’m going to be somewhere, you bring him.”

“I have to bring him!” They were screaming at each other now, covered by the blaring music of the party.

Sarah quieted her voice and took another step closer to him, while tears threatened to spill over the corners of her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his stomach and leaned her head onto his solid chest, “I don’t mean to yell, I’m sorry. It’s just getting hard not seeing you as much.”

He softened up and pulled her closer into him, planting a soft kiss onto the top of her head, “I’ll come over tonight, when this is over with.”

She smiled up at him and softly spoke, feigning disinterest, “Hmm. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Oh yeah?” He replied chuckling at her mischievous smile.

Before Sarah could reply his lips were on hers in an instant. They kissed in between giggles and for a second they forgot the rest of the world. Just for a second though, JJ had made his way through the tree line and stood a few feet away from the young couple.

JJ was the only person who knew that the two never split up. He basically lived at the Chateau with John B. and it was impossible to sneak her in, so they decided to swear him to secrecy. A pact that he had impressively upheld, so far.

“Hey, Romeo and Juliet. I hate to break up your ‘secret’ meeting, but Topper is flipping his lid looking for her.” He said before turning on his heels and walking back towards the party, “Just thought you should know.”

“I should probably get back.” Sarah said sighing as they pressed their foreheads together.

John B. just nodded his head, keeping his eyes closed tightly. She placed one last gentle kiss on his lips before she pulled away from his arms. 

Their hands lingered together as long as they could, fingertips desperately holding onto the others. The expectations of their vastly different worlds were weighing heavily on both of them. 

John B. was constantly sneaking in and out of her house, picking her up and dropping her off at home when they’d stay at the chateau, it made sleep even more of a problem than it already was. He was constantly on edge around his friends and her dad and he couldn’t deny the beating his heart took when he saw her with Topper.

Sarah on the other hand had really been digging deep in her bag of excuses as to why she didn’t let Topper go further with their relationship. Sure, she kissed him when she had to, it was expected of her, and she would stay close to him out in public, but in private she always kept a safe distance away. Her grades began to slip at the end of the semester from her constant stress and she hated lying to everyone she loved, but neither of them wanted to go back to the constant Pogue vs. Kook feuding every time they hung out with their friends. This is just how it had to be.


	2. Your Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fellow OBXers! So, here’s chapter two! I know these first two chapters have kind of used the show as a guide, but future chapters are going to veer in a different direction. I feel like the hardest part of writing for me is the dialogue, I want to stay true to each character and it drives me crazy. So, let me know how you guys are feeling about the dialogue especially, but as always all your feedback is welcomed and will be used to improve this fic! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it so far!

** Chapter 2: Your Move **

The night had been going smoothly, much more smooth than anybody expected. JJ was the life of the party, handing out beers, screaming the lyrics of the music at the top of his lungs. Kie had found a group of naturalists and they were engaged in deep conversation about their plans to save the environment. Pope, while sober, was chatting up a group of Tourons, joking and laughing, having the time of his life.

John B. was downing his umpteenth beer, trying to keep a healthy distance away from Sarah. His glances toward her lingered a little longer and their flirtatious smiles weren’t going unnoticed.

“Sarah,” Topper snapped at her.

“Huh? Wh-sorry what did you say babe?” She replied, tearing her eyes from the boy she wanted to be with.

“Can we go talk?” His gaze trained over her towards John B. “In private.”

“Uh. Yeah I guess.” She hesitantly followed him down the shoreline away from the others.

Topper had been drinking more than usual that night, his speech was beginning to slur and on more than one occasion that night, Sarah had to hold him up before he tumbled over himself.

He swayed back and forth as they walked further down the beach. She knew that it made John B. nervous when she was out of view with Topper, so she stepped in front of her faux boyfriend.

“We’re getting pretty far from the party Top.” She said placing a hand on his chest to stop his movement.

All of a sudden he was placing a drunken sloppy kiss on her lips. She could taste the stale beer and overwhelming amounts of menthol on her tongue before she pushed away a little too hard. Topper stumbled back, landing in the water below.

“What the fuck Sarah?!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, scrambling to his feet.

She quickly gathered herself and put on her girlfriend persona. She ran to him and helped him to his feet spewing apologies.

“Babe, I-I’m so sorry. It was just surpris-“

“Save it.” He spit his words at her like venom, “I’m sick of your fucking excuses. You won’t kiss me but you’ll fuck that Pogue, John B.”

He threw her hands off of him and started back towards the commotion of the boneyard.

“Wh-what are you talking about babe?” She chased after him trying to drag him back the other way. He continued to shrug her off, determination and anger burning in his eyes. 

“Top. Topper. You’re drunk stop.” Sarah continued to plead with him as they entered back into the group that crowded the beach.

“John B!” His outburst had everyone turning to look at them.

“Hey. Hey. Topper, look at me.” Sarah placed her hands on his cheeks trying to pull his eyes back towards her.

He shrugged her off as he saw John B. and JJ approaching them. The pair was ready for a fight, as was the rest of the boneyard, everyone circled around silently, waiting to see who made the first move.

“You dirty fucking Pogue.” Topper slurred his insult, stumbling forward towards them. “You been fucking my girl Routledge?”

John B. chuckled in response, shaking his head in disbelief, “You’re drunk dude. Go home.”

“This funny to you?” He pushed a pointed finger into John B’s chest, “Hey. L-look at me bitch. Hey. Does it look like I’m fucking joking?”

He was so close to John B’s face, he could smell the sheer amount of alcohol Topper had consumed on his breath.

“Hey princess.” John B. said looking over at Sarah, “Come get your boyfriend. Take him home.”

With that he turned back towards JJ and began to walk away. Then he felt himself get shoved from behind, he tumbled face first into the sand. John B. was back on his feet in a second making a run at Topper. Sarah was in between the two drunk teens before either of them could get any shots off. She pushed Topper back out toward the crowd as JJ and Pope wrapped their arms around John B. haunting his advances.

“Bro. Chill out.” Pope said trying to pull John B. away.

“It’s not worth it. Come on dude.” JJ knew that Sarah was his best friends tipping point and they just needed to get him away from the situation.

Just as it seemed the tensions were going to be avoided, Topper had to get one last shot in.

“Just remember who she’s going home with tonight!” He yelled back from outside the crowd.

Immediately, JJ and Pope let go of the hold they had on their friend. Topper had gone a tick too far and they weren’t going to stop what was coming to him.

John B. raced through the crowd, pushing anybody unlucky enough to be in his way, out of it. In the blink of an eye he was spearing Topper to the ground. Sarah screamed for the two boys to stop, but they continued to roll around, throwing punch after punch, each of them trying to gain the upper hand.

Topper scrambled to his feet and backed into a defensive position, he was the more intoxicated of the two, but he had hit one of John B’s deepest nerves and he knew that gave him the advantage. Just as he thought John B. rushed him again trying to get him back on the ground, in a swift motion he tosses the curly haired boy over his hip and slammed him into the water. Topper followed it up with a swift kick to his ribs, knocking the wind right out of John B.

Now was his chance to gain even more of an advantage. If there was one thing that hurt John B. more than Sarah Cameron it was his missing father.

“Don’t make me drown you like your old man. Stay down.” He spat as John B. gasped for air.

John B. staggered to his feet and with the Kook’s back toward him, he quickly threw a punch to the side of Topper’s head. The blonde boy stumbled forward, his ears ringing and vision blurring.

“Come on Topper!” John B. screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to egg the other boy on.

“Babe. Stop!” Sarah was yelling from behind them, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was only clear to JJ and herself who she was yelling at.

The crowd was now cheering and chanting.  _ Fight. Fight. Fight. _ The two boys were running on adrenaline from their dislike of each other and the urging of their peers.

Topper rushed John B. out of pure rage, forgetting his original strategy. Just as Topper did to him, John B. hooked the boys arm and tossed him into the ocean below. He immediately jumped at the opportunity to end the brawl, he tried to mount Topper, but his eagerness got the best of him and a second later his head was being shoved into the salty water.

He couldn’t breathe and he didn’t know how long the waves had been crashing over his face. He tried to fight back but with every movement he could feel his consciousness fading a bit more. Until all of a sudden the hands that were holding him under weren’t there anymore. He looked up to see Topper’s hands raised above his head and pure fear plastered on his face.

“Your move broski.” He heard JJ’s voice from behind Topper, but it took his eyes a second longer to adjust, that’s when he saw the gun pressed against the back of Topper’s head.


	3. My Druthers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Here is chapter 3, hot off the presses. I’m trying to pump these chapters out as fast as I can for you guys, I hope it’s coming off well. Would you guys prefer faster content between 1100-1200 words per chapter or more in depth 3000 word chapters that take longer to come out? I hope you enjoy this one!

** Chapter 3: My Druthers **

As soon as Topper dropped her off, Sarah raced to the dock behind her house. She hadn’t really noticed that she was running, but the adrenaline and the fear she was riding on was too much for her to handle.  _ A gun? Why the FUCK did they have a gun?  _ She hopped onto her father’s boat and waited for her boy to dock next to her.

Within minutes she heard the sputtering engine of the  _ HMS Pogue.  _ She hated that junker, but she had never been so excited to see it in her life. As soon as he tied off she was jumping over the side of her dad’s boat and into his. She crashed into him, wrapping her arms securely around his torso.

“Are you ok? I don’t know what got into him. I’m so sorry John B. Tell me you’re ok.” Her words came out in a jumbled mess of tears and gasps of air.

“Hey. Hey. I’m fine. Everything is-“ His words were cut off by more of her worry.

“Oh my god. Babe, have you seen your eye? This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have brought him. Come on, I have to look at you.” She pulled her hands down from his cheeks and tried to pull him towards the  _ My Druthers. _

He pulled her back gently, his hands landing on either side of her face. She continued to try and protest, but as soon as his lips connected with hers, she melted into him. Their kiss was gentle, but filled with passion. They pulled away reluctantly, their lips stayed parted, waiting for the other to reconnect.

“I’m ok princess.” He whispered against her mouth.

“You know I hate that.” She giggled back.

“You wanna go up?” He said nodding towards her father’s boat.

Sarah hummed in response, nodding her head a little too quickly.

This was their spot, even before they publicly split up, they would spend all night on that boat. Their first kiss was on that boat. The first time he held while she cried and vise versa, was on that boat. Their first fight, the first time the made up, and the night the decided to keep their relationship a secret, all happened on that boat.

He followed close behind as she descended the steps down to the cabin. They had spent many nights in the bedroom of the  _ Druthers _ _,_ but they never went further than a heated make out session. Sarah had tried to initiate it on more than one occasion, but every time they ended up having a conversation about being ready, until they would cuddle up and fall asleep watching a cheesy movie on Netflix.

John B. plopped down on the soft king sized bed, letting out an over exaggerated sigh of relief. Sarah laughed at his form spread over the entirety of the bed.

“Okay. Move over drama queen.” She chuckled, pulling back on the duvet and red satin sheets.

He groaned before peeling himself off of the bed. Sarah removed the fancy throw pillows and the duvet cover, tossing them delicately to the side. In truth, John B. had no clue why Kooks put so much on their beds, only to use about 25% of it. He had a top sheet, two pillows, and a blanket, which is probably why Sarah preferred to sleep on this boat most nights they spent together.

He removed his shirt, knowing that she usually tensed up when he thought he wasn’t paying attention to her, but this time she rushed to his side.

“Jesus, John B.” She was turning him around desperately and examining his ribs, “you didn’t tell me it was this bad. Do you need to go to the hospital?”

A giant purple and black bruise matching Topper’s shoe size, covered the left side of his ribs. In truth, he hadn’t really examined the extent of his injuries before he left the Chateau. He was more focused on getting to his girlfriend than he was on the blinding pain he felt when he took a breath.

“What? No. Sarah, I’m fine.” He said unconvincingly, “Really, it’s just a bruise. It happens.”

“At least let me get you some ice?” He begun today protest before she put on her pouty eyes and at that moment he knew he was going to cave to her. All he did was nod in response.

Sarah gave him a victorious smile before planting a kiss on his cheek. She quickly ran to the small freezer in the hall way and returned with a bag of ice and a small towel. She stopped in the doorway of the bedroom to admire her beautiful boy.

His skin was perfectly tanned, his curly hair had the distinct shimmer of dried seawater, and the smile he was giving her at that moment made her knees weak.

“What are you staring at?” He said, chuckling lightly.

She took deliberately slow steps toward the bed, her facial expression was filled with a hunger he hadn’t seen on her before. Sarah crawled from the foot of the bed up to his lips causing him to swallow hard. Just as words were forming on his tongue, she captured his lips in a desperate kiss.

His eyes widened in surprise as he felt a shocking cold on his side. He quietly yelped against her lips and pulled away in a haste. A laugh burst from Sarah’s throat as she saw realization cross his face and then he was glaring daggers at her.

“What?” She said innocently, through her fit of laughter, “You’re always so loud you big baby. Now hold your ice.”

She sat up, grabbing the remote to the giant tv that hung on the wall across from the bed. John B. pulled her back onto the bed and into his arms before she could put up a fight. The two laughed as they playfully fought off one another.  _ Nothing could ruin this night,  _ Sarah thought you herself,  _ nothing. _

“I love you, Sarah Cameron.”


End file.
